North By Northwest was released in 1959 and stars Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. The film is noted for its high-spirited humor, in which Grant’s character, Roger O. Thornhill leads the way. Thornhill is an advertising executive who is mistaken for a federal agent and caught committing a murder. The film takes us on a roller coaster ride around the world, including one of the classic scenes which takes place at Mount Rushmore. North By Northwest is a humorous, adventure and love story all rolled together in one movie. The film has the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end.

The first part of the film sets up the action for the entire film - neither the main character or the audience have any idea where the initial problem of the hero might lead next. Roger Thornhill comes out

Thornhill: Well, you lend a certain air of respectability.

Thornhill also meets 'Townsend's' co-conspirator, Leonard 'Townsend' explains how his secretary "is a great admirer of your methods, Mr. Kaplan, elusiveness - however misguided." Thornhill again insists that he isn't Mr. Kaplan and he says: “My name is Thornhill, Roger Thornhill. It's never been anything else...So obviously, your friends picked up the wrong package when they bundled me out here in the car...I told you I'm not Kaplan, whoever he is!”

Thornhill demands to see Townsend and is told that he is at the UN building where he is scheduled to speak with the General Assembly that afternoon. The detectives are then finished questioning him, now satisfied that Thornhill is guilty as charged and that his entire kidnapping story is a lie. Roger's mother is skeptical and does not believe his story either. She advises her son that he is stuck: "Pay the two dollars!" (As they are driving away, one of the thugs pretends to be a gardener in the front of the mansion.)

Leonard then goes to the liquor cabinet and gets a bottle of bourbon, but the hostile Thornhill, or 'Kaplan,' will not cooperate, he refuses to reveal his identity, and proceeds to provoke them with sarcastic comments such as: "You drink it. I've had enough stimulation for one day." Convinced of his opposition while he attempts to escape, Leonard pours a large glass of bourbon, and insists that he drinks large amounts in order to deliberately get him drunk. Now completely drunk, they put him in the driver's seat of a convertible onto a dark, windy ocean cliff road that night. They expect him to become the victim of a fatal, drunk-driving accident. Somehow, Thornhill manages to push one of the “thugs” out of the car and takes control of it; steering it down the highway. He wears down his potential murderers and escapes death. Accidentally, his out-of-control driving attracts a police officer that chases after him and arrests him, but only after accidentally rear-ending his car).

Thornhill: Good, you'll lose less than usual.

Some topics in this essay:
CaryGrant Roger, Plaza Hotel, South Dakota, War Teachout, Kaplan Realizing, Roger Thornhill, ThornhillNo Mother, North Northwest, Kaplan Thornhill, Clara I'm, north northwest, roger thornhill, plaza hotel, believe story, roger's mother, bottle bourbon, kaplan thornhill, thornhill comes, would-be assassins, un building,